


No Return

by MWolfe13



Series: Tropes&Fandoms2020 [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Force Ghost! Hermione, HHBingo2020, Not very graphic but it is there so warning is up, TropesandFandoms2020, dark!, descriptions of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:40:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23363329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MWolfe13/pseuds/MWolfe13
Summary: Hermione thinks she has a purpose after death, but for some, there's just no returning from the Dark Side.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Tropes&Fandoms2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1661083
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17
Collections: Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020, Tropes & Fandoms 2020





	No Return

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Tropes and Fandoms 2020 on Melting Pot Fanfiction AND HHBingo2020
> 
> Tropes and Fandoms 2020: Chute- Dark!  
> HHBingo2020 Square I4: Kylo Ren
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Star Wars. They're simply my favorite sandbox at the moment.

When Hermione woke she was floating in the air, invisible bonds keeping her restrained. She tried to remember what had happened, but her memory was foggy. She could have sworn she’d gone to do her weekly shopping at the grocers, but that wouldn’t explain why she was currently tied up. She tugged experimentally at her bonds, not at all surprised to find she couldn’t budge. These were done by magic, only a sloppy caster would make the mistake of making them loose.

She heard voices from outside the room, only just taking in her surroundings. She was in someone’s dungeon, she assumed right away. The room was slightly chilly, the walls made of stone. A large stand with a circular glass stood in front of her, slightly angled. Further up, a round door covered a portion of the ceiling. She could see a slit going through the middle. 

Perhaps they weren’t in a dungeon after all.

The door opened, her gaze darting to the two men that stepped through; Adrian Pucey, Marcus Flint. She recognized the two Wizards immediately, confused even more because she’d done nothing to them. She barely saw Pucey on their day to day dealings at the Ministry, and Flint was a Quidditch player. They certainly didn’t rank on the list of people who might hate her enough to come after her. 

“What is this?” she whispered.

Adrian and Marcus looked up. Adrian sighed, “I’d hoped you’d stay asleep through all this.”

That didn’t sound ominous, at all. “Pucey, what the hell is going on?”

“I don’t want you to take this personally,” he said. “My daughter needs this. You have a lot of magic to give.”

Marcus walked over to a lever she hadn’t noticed in her perusal of the room. He pulled it, the thud loud followed by the opening of the round door. There was no visible moon tonight, it was the beginning of the lunar cycle. Wherever she was at was unaffected by light pollution, because the stars shined brightly against the dark sky. The glass started shining with the faintest glow, her body stiffening at the faint tug somewhere inside of her.

She focused on Pucey’s words. His daughter. Merlin, she’d heard rumors that his little girl had been born a squib. How they’d found out when the child was only a few years into her life, Hermione had no idea. Her blood ran cold when she pieced together what he might be attempting.  _ You have a lot of magic to give. _ No. He couldn’t possibly be attempting what she thought he was.

She tried struggling at the bonds again. “Adrian,  _ please _ . You can’t do this. It won’t work the way you think it will.”

“Yes it will,” Adrien told her with conviction. “I researched this ritual extensively. You see, you might not have been taught this if you haven’t studied ritual magic. The world labors under the misconception that the full moon is when a Witches’ most powerful magic is performed. That’s wrong. It’s the new moon that creates the most potential, the new moon that paves the way for chaotic rituals. I will take some of the magic from you and trap it in the glass. Every new moon after, I will siphon it into my daughter until she has what she needs. She  _ will _ be a proper member of society.”

Hermione gave a frustrated cry, looking to Marcus for help. She couldn’t escape these bonds, and Pucey was beyond convincing. “Flint, you have to stop this! Please don’t let him do this!”

Marcus flinched under her pleas, but he shook his head. “It’s nothing against you. We did the arithmancy on this. You have the most potential of not dying from this and keeping your magic intact.” His voice lowered. “She’s my goddaughter. I  _ will _ see this through.”

That’s when Hermione knew she’d have to escape on her own. Godparent’s oaths were binding, magically. If Adrien activated them, then Marcus would have no choice, not when this was the only solution presented to him. What could she say to convince him otherwise? She’d never studied the genes of Squibs or read the books on them, all Pureblood propaganda. What viable solution would she suggest that would guarantee Marcus didn’t have to go with this crazy scheme?

Adrian pat her thigh in thanks as he walked up to her. “Truly, I thank you for your sacrifice. You have more magic than you need. The Pucey’s are in your debt, Hermione.”

He took out a leather-bound book, a ribboned tassel marking the spot he opened to. Hermione tried concentrating her magic for one powerful  _ finite _ as he started chanting. She needed to get out of here. He was crazy. Stupid, Idiotic, demented-

Her body arched as the pain pervaded her body, her mind going blank. It was worse than anything she’d ever felt. She twisted and turned, sobbed for the torture to stop. Her body was like a live wire and the lightning her never-ending companion. She could feel something tearing from her chest, a horrible ripping ache where her heart beat. She lost the fight after that, body slumping as much as it could while still restrained. Her head lolled to the side, dimming eyesight finding Marcus.

Her last thought was that he looked like he was going to lose his stomach before she faded.   


* * *

When Hermione first materialized as a Force Ghost, she was utterly confused. She could remember exactly what had happened last, and judging by the eerie glow of her body, she was dead. Then she was upset because she’d had so much going for her, so much left to do. 

Then she was back to confusion, because of all the places for her ghostly body to end up, she didn’t think it would be a young adult floating in the air. He couldn’t see her as he was looking straight through her, a bored look on his face. They were in a small room, but she could faintly hear the hum of an engine. He sighed, slowly lowering to the ground just before someone knocked and the door slid open. She was so astounded by seeing that alone she missed the entirety of the conversation, but she did catch his name, said in confused exasperation. It was a tone her parents had taken with her for years before their deaths.

Ben.   


* * *

The Universe had decided she needed to be attached to Ben. Every time she thought about crossing over, she’d disappear for a time and end up with him. He never saw her, never spoke to her. She’d tried time and time again to reach him, to let him know he always had someone watching him. Hermione felt he needed to hear that, he was so angry all the time. 

The alternate universe she’d ended up in was something out of a fantasy novel. There was no other accurate way to explain it. People traveled to different planets, different  _ systems _ . There were spaceships, and aliens, and monsters. She’d seen so many monsters. There was no magic of her variety here, but something Ben and his Master called the Force. They had an interesting way of manipulating it, and she had to admit, the laser swords-lightsabers-were a little scary. She’d seen Ben take down a raging spider creature, the wound left behind horrific to see up close. If she could throw up, she was sure she would have.

Hermione wasn’t sure how much time had passed. It didn’t matter when one was dead. She marked time through Ben’s growth. He grew taller, broader than anyone she’d ever known. She found it fascinating when he helped teach others like him how to build their own lightsabers. Sometimes, in moments when she concentrated hard and he was meditating, she swears he can almost see her. One time he’d even stared hard at her, eyes squinting as if trying to see through fog. 

Then he would grow angry, unimpressed by his ability to lift the apparent veil between them. Hermione knew he heard voices. Sometimes in the privacy of his rooms, he spoke to that voice. The words were never good in her opinion. They were often pleas to be left alone, not to make him do it, something about him  _ not _ being like the darker part of his heritage. Often, she would try to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder, arm, even his mop of hair at one point. Because  _ of course _ he wasn’t evil, he didn’t need to listen to anyone who told him otherwise. Her hand would pass right through him though, Ben none the wiser, and Hermione could only see him spiraling in helpless frustration.

She was sitting in the corner of his tent while he was sleeping when she felt something. She was on her feet in a flash, eyes darting to find the source of the tingle that traveled down her spine. Ben’s Master came in, eyes a little hazy, lightsaber gripped in his hand. He raised it above his head, eyes frightened as he stared at Ben.

Somehow, Hermione knew he needed to wake up or he would die. She threw herself on her knees, trying and failing to grab his shoulders. “Ben! Wake up, Ben! You need to get up right now!”

Miraculously, his eyes flew open. He stared at her in shock for a moment, but Hermione was staring up at his Master in horror. He’d ignited the blade. 

Ben seemed to realize he was in danger, rolling over with his own lightsaber at the ready. She saw his face when he came face to face with his attacker; the shock, the betrayal, the anger. Hermione saw the emotions play across his face in rapid succession. Something dark came over him then, his aura morphing into a blackness she’d only ever felt a hint of from him. She could do nothing as they engaged in a duel, knowing who would win. The older man was good, but Ben was a force to be reckoned with, his anger giving him an edge in combat.

But then, when he’d thrown his Master over a cliff, he went for the others like him, the ones that were coming out of their own tents in confusion. Hermione ran after him, pleading with him to stop, to not do this. She was invisible again. She wasn’t sure if he was ignoring her or the brief surge in power that had allowed her to reach him had faded, but she could only stand helplessly as he slaughtered anyone brave enough to face him. She watched as he burned the building they called home to the ground. A few people who had stood out of the way while he rampaged, five in total, knelt before him when he was done. 

He was speaking to them, but Hermione was in shock at the complete destruction before her. She brought her palms up to her face, shaking her head in disbelief before disappearing. 

* * *

“So you’ve returned.”

The voice was deeper, mechanical to Hermione’s ears, but somehow she knew before turning that it was him. He was dressed all in black, a menacing helmet covering his head. They were on a ship she’d never seen. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed. To her, it had only been a moment ago that he’d obliterated the training camp he’d been at. “You can see me?”

“Yes. I have to thank you. Without your warning that day, I might have died in my sleep.”

She wrapped her arms around herself. “You killed them all.”

“Not all,” he disagreed. “Only those that defied me.”

Hermione shook her head. He was almost completely wrapped in darkness, the beginnings of what she’d seen before complete. “Ben-”

“It’s Kylo Ren now.”

She blinked. “Excuse me?”

“My name,” he said. “You called me Ben. That is not who I am anymore. Ben was weak and pathetic. Kylo is stronger, in charge, unburdened by any legacy.”

Was he serious? Is that what happened when you went from one extreme to the next; some type of multiple personality disorder? Merlin, this universe was so exhausting. Why was she attached to him anyway? “You’re still Ben to me. That’s how I knew you before.”

Kylo scoffed. “Yet you didn’t know me. You aren’t any Jedi I ever knew. I don’t even know your name.”

Jedi? He thought she was a Jedi? Hermione could have laughed at that. She’d heard all about the fabled Order through the teachings his Master imparted on him. She would never have made it as a Jedi, and she certainly wouldn’t have wanted to. “My name is Hermione. I wasn’t a Jedi.”

“Hermione.” He seemed to be tasting the name on his tongue, saying it slowly. He tilted his head to the side. It was hard to tell what his expressions were when he wore that mask. “How can you be a Force Ghost if you weren’t a Jedi? Were you a Sith then? You don’t seem the type.”

Another name she’d heard before; the apparent polar opposites of the Jedi. It didn’t seem to matter what universe she was in. There would always be some version of dark versus light. Hermione pursed her lips. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”

“I don’t think I will.” Hermione walked closer. “I would for Ben, but Kylo is another matter.” She peered into the mask’s eyes, barely able to make out the real ones beneath the mechanics. He was uncomfortable. She backed off, shrugging. “Let me know when the real you is back.”

* * *

“Now they aren’t allowed to have lightsabers?”

Kylo looked back at Hermione, the ghostly form crossing her arms and airing an aura of disapproval. “No.”

“Why not?” She came closer to him in a blink. “Because that guy said so? They are your friends, all strong in the Force. They have just as much a right to continue their training.”

She didn’t get it. “My Master said no. They have chosen to become the Knights of Ren. They knew their training would end once they made the choice.”

She scoffed, “Like there was ever a choice. It was either this or die, Ben. I’m sure self-preservation isn’t a new concept in this universe.”

Kylo clenched his fist at the name. “I told you. That is not my name.”

She shrugged. “My bad. I forgot you were going through an identity crisis.”

He breathed deeply, using the exhale to let go of the negative emotions surging through him. They had no place here, not when he could do nothing to her. “Is there a reason you decided to appear? I thought you weren’t talking to me.”

“I never said that.” Hermione placed a hand over his arm, not touching him but as close as. “I said I wouldn’t give Kylo and explanations. Believe me, if I had a choice in the matter, you are the last person I would be haunting.”

Kylo snorted internally. Haunting just about covered it.   


* * *

Hermione watched the ship enter lightspeed, leaning against Ben’s chair as he manned the controls. She knew there were more people beyond the doors, they belonged to the barbaric army he had the misfortune of helping lead. A few years had passed, not that Hermione was really paying attention. What was the point? It wasn’t like she had anything pressing to do.

The atrocities this First Order had committed were ingrained in her memory. Every time Ben was sent out, Hermione could guarantee she’d be witnessing the stuff of nightmares. There were soldiers taking children away from their parents, massacres of other alien species just to name a few. It was too much for her sometimes, and she would will herself to disappear and hope when she came out that things would be better.

They weren’t.

During one of those times, when she came back and nothing had changed, Hermione realized she couldn’t leave him for long. He’d been in his tiny ship, firing upon a village, and her presence and pleas for him to stop had him hesitating enough that he’d stopped short of firing on a more durable building filling with escaping children. He’d raged at her, called her names, threatened to find a way to banish her from his life, but Hermione had let it roll across her shoulders. He’d stopped. It gave her hope that Ben was still in there, like she kept telling him.

So despite the despair and misery that coursed through her the further he went down his ‘Dark Side’, Hermione was determined to see it through with him. She wasn’t always able to do this, being a ghost took up energy. But the time she could spend on this plane, she’d do it with him until he was Ben again. Perhaps this was her purpose in the afterlife, the reason she couldn’t move on. 

“Where are we going?”

“I,” Ben said pointedly, “am going to Jakku.”

Hermione ignored his sass. “What’s on Jakku?”

He sighed, sending her an exasperated look. “Nothing. The planet’s a kriffing wasteland.”

She only had a clue was ‘kriffing’ meant, but she got the feeling behind the word. “Then why are we going there?”

He ignored her.

Hermione didn’t have long to find out. Her shoulders sagged as the ship landed on a sandy village. It was chaos; soldiers fought with older men and women, lighting fires to houses and supplies. This town had done something to displease the First Order, and Ben had been sent to take care of it.

She followed him off the ramp of his ship, curling her lip in distaste when two troopers restrained an old man and brought him in front of Ben. He. Was. Old. What type of fight did they think he’d put up. Hermione already knew what was coming, not interested in hearing what his supposed crimes were. Her eyes scanned the smokey landscape, sensing something out there.

It came in the form of a bolt from the gun this universe favored, concentrated and aimed at Ben. Hermione was sure of it even though the shooter was hiding. She turned, a warning on her lips, but Ben was already extending his hand. The laser stopped in the air, its humming vibration harsh in the dimming noise. They brought a younger man forward, treating him harsher than the old man. Hermione paid attention this time, smirking at his bravado at a time like this. He would have made a typical Gryffindor in her world. 

Her ears pricked at the mention of a map. So that’s what he’d come for. The man was taken onboard Ben’s ship, and a woman Hermione loathed asked about the fate of the villagers.

“Ben,” she cautioned. “They obviously don’t have what you’re searching for. They were only defending themselves. You have the man you want.”

Ben didn’t spare her a glance. “Kill them all.”

Hermione turned and fled back into the ship, not wanting to see another needless execution.    


* * *

Ben was not happy, as evidenced by the rampage he was going on in his room. 

“Incompetent, spineless-”

“They honestly gave it their best shot,” Hermione argued. “The pilot was lucky.” Honestly, definitely someone from her house in spirit.

Ben whirled around, his gloved hand pointing at her in accusation. “Admit it! You’re happy that resistant trash escaped!”

“I’m not happy your negative feelings are building up,” she told him honestly. “You tend to be very Kylo when you have pent up anger.”

He snarled, staking closer to her. “I am Kylo!”

Hermione didn’t say anything, knowing her refusal to see him that way would only trigger more anger but unable to lie and placate him. Really, she was happy the prisoner had escaped. A map to Ben’s former Master! She wasn’t fond of the guy, or his teachings, but maybe coming face to face to him would let Ben air out his grievances. She hadn’t realized the man was still alive, so sure he hadn’t survived his header off a cliff.

Ben shook his head. “I’ve got things to do.”

She huffed as he left the room, crossing her arms. Was that his way of telling her not to follow him? Fat chance that was happening.

* * *

“You are abnormally interested in that girl.”

“Jealous?” Ben wasn’t looking at her, but she heard it in his tone. He was smirking.

“No. I find it interesting.” Hermione boosted herself up on a console. “You’ve kidnapped her, tortured her, but I can tell you’re still thinking about her.”

“There’s something about her…”

She smiled softly as his voice trailed off. She wasn’t sure about this scavenger from Jakku, but this was the first time in a long time she’d seen Ben confused by someone. She needed the distraction. The base they were on was one she’d rather be destroyed from existence. Nothing, absolutely nothing, should be able to obliterate entire planets the way it had. She knew Ben had felt the destruction; his clenched fists, his irregular breathing. Billions of lives snuffed out in an instant of terrifying annihilation, and for what? As a show of force?

She  _ hated _ Ben being mixed up in all this.

Later, when the base had been destroyed and the girl safely away from the First Order, Hermione lay next to Ben helplessly as he curled up on his bed and cried. She’d tried- _ Merlin, she’d tried _ -to get him not to kill his father. The voice inside his head, the one urging him to do evil and one only he could hear, had overpowered her begging. He’d hesitated, but the darkness had won in the end. He had a scar on his face and a healing wound on his body to show for it.  _ Never _ had she feared for his life since the day of his fall, but she had tonight. 

She couldn’t wrap her arms around him like she desperately wanted to, but he was curled as close to her as he could get. His mask was no more. She’d wished to see his face again, but she could have waited forever than to have him go through this turmoil.

She knew he’d go back to being the fierce Kylo Ren tomorrow, but for now, he was Ben. Ben, the boy who just lost his father. Ben, the man  _ she knew _ was waiting to break free. 

* * *

Hermione paced anxiously, unable to stand still as the scene played out before her. If she could Avada this Snoke, she would. Ben was standing there, body trembling with the need to go to Rey but unable to without being punished. She stopped by his shoulder, hissing in his ear, “We need to do something!”

His side-eye told her everything he wanted to say.  _ I know. I can’t do anything. What would you suggest? _

She wished he could see that he didn’t  _ need _ Snoke. She’d seen more light in him than she had in years, all thanks to Rey. He listened to her in a way he hadn’t listened to Hermione. While that caused some jealousy on her part, she would take anything she could get at this point. 

Her eyes landed on Ben’s lightsaber as she looked to the ground, immediately snapping up and looking for the one Rey had come with. It was next to Snoke. If only she could get it to Rey. The girl was strong, untrained by Ben’s standards but powerful nonetheless. She needed to be able to move things, like Peeve’s used to be able to back in Hogwarts. That would help immensely.

The lightsaber twitched.

Her mouth dropped open. Had that been her? She’d never been able to do anything like that before. Biting her lip, she tried again, focusing hard on the want to move it. 

It turned to the side.

Holding in her gasp, Hermione looked towards Ben. His eyes were on Rey, stance rigid. Would he join her if Hermione got the girl her lightsaber? She wasn’t so sure. He was afraid of Snoke, and he revered him. That man was the problem. Ben wouldn’t be able to do anything until he was free of his influence.

She knew what she had to do.

She wanted to throw up, but her resolve was firm. She’d done this in war, hadn’t she? Killed for the sake of not being killed herself. This was the same concept. She was  _ saving _ the two of them. Ben needed him gone before he could be himself again. This was her purpose, the reason she was here. She had to believe it. She’d been with Ben since before he turned. She  _ knew _ he could go back, with the right motivation.

She concentrated all her energy on the lightsaber, lifting her hand subtly as she’d seen Ben do countless of times. It quivered in its place on the throne. Hermione could feel her energy waning from the effort. She’d only have one shot at this. She wouldn’t be here to see the aftermath of her actions.

With one last push, she ignited the blade, the bright blue laster ripping through Snoke like paper. She fell to her knees in exhaustion, head bent and lightheaded. She knew she was fading again, this time against her will. She glanced up with bleary eyes, finding Ben staring at her in shock. She gave him a small smile before she disappeared, hoping he remembered the room was filled with guards and he didn’t die before she could see him again.   


* * *

Hermione appeared in the middle of a nightmare.

Women and children of a different species were lined up against a mountain wall. They were crying, making noises in a language Hermione didn’t understand but she didn’t have to. She’d know the sound of begging no matter how she heard it. She looked around for Ben, seeing him standing with one of his Knights.

He tilted his head when he saw her, dismissing the Knight with a wave of his hand. “You were gone longer this time.”

“What’s going on?” she asked. “Ben, why are these people like this?”

“I’m the Supreme Leader now.” He smiled small in her direction. “Thank you for that, by the way.”

“I didn’t do it so you’d take over.” She tried searching his eyes for something, anything that would tell her what she was dealing with. “I did it so you’d be free.”

“I am free,” he told her. “I am the master now. I give the orders. These people helped resistance fugitives hide and escape. That is a crime.”

No. This wasn’t supposed to be what she’d come back to. No. She stepped in front of him. “Please don’t do what I think you’re going to do. Ben, Snoke doesn’t control you anymore! You don’t have to be evil.”

Ben shrugged. “He wasn’t the reason I was evil, Hermione. The darkness is in my blood, going back to my grandfather. Snoke only helped me harness it.” He walked through her. “Get the blasters ready.”

She ran after him. “Don’t do this! Ben, think before you slaughter innocent people.” It was reminiscent of another night. Her pleas were the same, her words the same. “You can’t turn back from this! I know this isn’t you! Please, Ben!”

Ben glared at her. “My name is Kylo Ren. All this time, you refuse to see me for who I am. No more. Ben Solo is  _ no more _ .”

Hermione saw his hand go up, knew the universal signal for fire would happen when his hand dropped. She could stop this. She’d done it with the lightsaber. She could do it with this execution squad.

Thinking  _ Protego _ as hard as she could, Hermione cast her hands at the aliens huddling in terror. She felt her energy leave her, surrounding her chosen targets in one big bubble. The soldiers fired, their laser bolts hitting her shield repeatedly. Ben was watching her in fury. No, that wasn’t Ben. She needed to accept it. She’d helped Ben, watched out for him, gave him companionship.

She wouldn’t do any of that with Kylo Ren.

Her legs gave out, but she kept the shield going. She’d keep it for as long as they kept firing. And they were firing; more and more as their confusion grew. Kylo wasn’t ordering them to stop, watching her. She could feel her power weakening, something empty settling inside her stomach in a way it never had before.

She might not come back from this.

So be it. If she gave the last of her strength to save these people, she’d do it. They were scattering now, running for ships and bikes. Hermione kept her barrier over each one. Maybe this had been her purpose all along. It hadn’t been to bring Ben back into the light. No, if he could be redeemed, it wasn’t her who would lead him. Her only regret is having not seen it earlier, and saving another of the numerous groups from the fate she was saving these people from.

Finally, her strength gave out, and she fell on her front. She had a feeling this was it. Her fading felt permanent this time. From the corner of her eye, she saw troopers trying to fire on flying ships, and smiled. 

Kylo knelt in front of her, his expression downcast as he studied her. “You’re not coming back.”

“No,” she whispered. “But that’s okay. I was only ever here for Ben.”

She didn’t hear what he whispered, closing her eyes as she faded into the cosmos. 

  
  



End file.
